Sasol invests R140 million in training artisans for South Africa

Date

28 September, 2006

Sasol is investing R140 million in a skills development programme that will enable 830 entry level learners to qualify as artisans over the next three years. The investment forms part of an industry-wide initiative to address the critical artisan skills shortage in South Africa. It is supported by government and the trade unions.

Sasol's focus is on creating a national skills pool from which the entire country can draw from for future growth, development and poverty eradication.

A study by the National Advisory Council for Innovation conducted in 2003 indicated a shortage of about 6 000 artisans in the country. Based on the R400 billion estimated infrastructure development projects earmarked by the South African private and public sectors from now up to 2010, this figure could increase to as much as 15 000 in the longer term.

“Our objective is to equip unskilled people to ensure that South Africa has a viable skill pool to draw from, whether on permanent or contractual basis. We are also involving our three major labour unions -Solidarity, the Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers Union (CEPPWAWU) and the South African Chemical Workers Union (SACWU) - to act in an advisory capacity,” says Sasol CE Pat Davies.

“Sasol's R140 million investment will significantly boost our initiative to help create national skills for critical trades such as electricians, instrument mechanics, welders, boiler-makers, fitters and riggers,” says Mike Macrae, CE of the Shutdown Network Forum Employment and Skills Development Lead Employer (SNF ESDLE), which was created in May 2004 by oil, gas and chemical manufacturing companies operating in South Africa.

The Chemical Industry Education and Training Authority (CHIETA) together with the SNF ESDLE and the oil, gas and chemical manufacturing companies are providing a training programme to address the skills need. The first phase of the initiative was funded in 2004 by a R25 million grant from the CHIETA to commence training of 1 000 learners at 18 industry-owned and private training centers based in five regions throughout the country.

Macrae says statistics on artisan training shows a dramatic decrease from about 33 000 apprentices in 1975 to 7 500 in 1990 and 3 000 in 2000. The 2005 intake dropped to 1 440. Complicating matters is that the average age of skilled artisans has increased to 53 years.

“We are involved in numerous initiatives to build capacity among unskilled and unemployed people and to proactively address poverty eradication by providing opportunities for people who wish to acquire a skill that will make them employable in the future, wherever they may find themselves.” says Davies.

Sasol is continuously expanding its programme to train fully fledged artisans and is also in preliminary discussions with government's Joint Initiative for Priority Skills Acquisition (JIPSA) committee to develop initiatives to increase artisan training in the country.

Ends

Total Stores	Division	Store Location	Address	Tel No
1	Relabelled	Salt River	29 Brickfield Road, Salt River, Cape Town	(021)4479913
2	Relabelled	Bellville	Shop 4, Corner Voortrekker Rd & Durban RD, Bellville	(021)9171860
3	Relabelled	Kenilworth	Unit number 3 access park, Chichester road, Kenilworth	(021)6714778,
4	Relabelled	Kuilsrivier	Shop 4 & 5 Access Park, Kuilsrivier	(021)9031294 061 287 3980
5	Relabelled	Mobeni	Cnr Grimsby & Leicester Rd, Mobeni, Durban	(031)4620540 W\House (031) 469 9409
6	Relabelled	Pier 14	21A Pier 14, Shopping Centre, Port Elizabeth	(041)4841575 083 5176 728
7	Relabelled	Marlboro	13 Sparten Crescent ,Marlboro , Ext 3 Johannesburg	(011) 262 0460
8	Relabelled	Soweto	Maponya Shop 200 2127 Chris hani Road, klipspruit ext5 Soweto	(011) 933 1023
9	Relabelled	Umlazi	Shop 155 Umlazi Mega City 50 Griffiths Mxenge Highway Umlazi	(031) 902 1325
10	Relabelled	Epping	10 Losack avenue , epping industrial	(021) 534 0401
1	BCWC	Kloof	Lifes on Kloof, 50 Kloof Street, Gardens ,Cape Town, shop G-15	(021) 422 1593 078 211 8051
2	BCWC	Canal Walk	Shop 619 Canal Walk , Century BLVD, Century City , Cape Town 7441	(021) 551 2891
3	BCWC	Monte Casino	Shop 80B Montecasino, No1 Monticasino Bouelvard Fourways , 2191 Magents	(011) 465 0438
4	BCWC	Menlyn	Shop UF 42 & 43 cnr atterbury road & lois avenue , menlo park , Pretoria	(012) 764 9600
5	BCWC	Balito	SHOP 608 LEONORA DRIVE,DOLPHIN COAST,BALLITO,4399	032 586 0242
6	BCWC	Rosebank	Shop GF08, The Zone, Rosebank mall, Oxford Street, Johannesburg	(011)268 1114
1	Magents	Canal Walk	Shop 08 , Century Blvd , Century City 7441	(021) 551 2533 JP CELL: 064 686 4026
2	Magents	Monte Casino	Shop 21 Montecasino, No1 Monticasino Bouelvard Fourways , 2191 Magents	(011) 465 6721 074 669 6310 073 804 4352 079 884 7607
3	Magents	Menlyn	MENLYN MALL , SHOP G190 CNR ATTERBURY ROAD & LOIS AVENUE,MENLO PARK,PRETORIA	(012) 348 4725 073 8677 468 - Sieya , kiley , OUPA, Micheal
4	Magents	Balito	SHOP 608 LEONORA DRIVE,DOLPHIN COAST,BALLITO,4399	061 521 7446 032 586 1467
1	WSA	Menlyn	MENLYN MALL ,LF41A CNR ATTERBURY ROAD & LOIS AVENUE,MENLO PARK,PRETORIA	Vicky - 078 816 1921 land line - 012 348 4766
6	BCWC	Rosebank	Shop GF08, The Zone, Rosebank mall, Oxford Street, Johannesburg	(011)268 1114
1	Magents	Canal Walk	Shop 08 , Century Blvd , Century City 7441	(021) 551 2533 JP CELL: 064 686 4026
2	Magents	Monte Casino	Shop 21 Montecasino, No1 Monticasino Bouelvard Fourways , 2191 Magents	(011) 465 6721 074 669 6310 073 804 4352 079 884 7607
3	Magents	Menlyn	MENLYN MALL , SHOP G190 CNR ATTERBURY ROAD & LOIS AVENUE,MENLO PARK,PRETORIA	(012) 348 4725 073 8677 468 - Sieya , kiley , OUPA, Micheal
4	Magents	Balito	SHOP 608 LEONORA DRIVE,DOLPHIN COAST,BALLITO,4399	061 521 7446 032 586 1467
1	WSA	Menlyn	MENLYN MALL ,LF41A CNR ATTERBURY ROAD & LOIS AVENUE,MENLO PARK,PRETORIA	Vicky - 078 816 1921 land line - 012 348 4766

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Sasol invests R140 million in training artisans for South Africa

Sasol invests R140 million in training artisans for South Africa